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<br />
<br />Kayaking Information
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<br />This region is packed with rivers.
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<br />RUNS IN THIS LOCATION
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<br />The"F~i'r~'Gorge of Lime Creek is a high altitude, low volume wilderness run. ThE! run starts off with some easier warm up drops, followed by a series of
<br />lechical rapids and drops. The most notable drop in the First Gorge is the 25 foot Adrenaline Falls signified by a large slow moving pool above the
<br />drop. Scout or portage river right. The entrance move to the 25 footer is the crux, blowing this line may lead to serious carnage.
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<br />Few hundred yards down river the creek makes a turn east into the s-turn rapids. Next comes Dragon's Back noted by a ninety degree turn to the left,
<br />and a protruding fin of rock dividing the current. Scout Dragon's Back river left. After a short section of Class II your at the take-out.
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<br />When you get to the put-in, you are going 10 think it is too low to run If it looks like it is flowing well, abort mission. The first few miles of this section can
<br />be very frustrating. The river starts out mellow and scrapy, and then gradually turns into class IV-V super mank. Keep your wits about you or you will
<br />get pinned. There are a couple of pseudo-gorges that may require scouting.
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<br />After several miles of mank, you will arrive at a pretty deep gorge with a very abrupt horizon line at the entrance. Beach your boats on river left and
<br />wade to river right to scout. The river drops about forty feet in the next thirty yards. The entrance is a tight eight footer that is run on the left.
<br />Immediately after the entrance is the main part of the rapid. It drops about five feet into a slide, which curls left, and then over a ten-foot drop into a
<br />cauldron with a sticky hole. Ride the curler to the left side of the drop and take a huge right boof stroke. When you land, paddle hard to escape the
<br />backwash. This rapid is tricky but fun. Remember, it's never as bad as it sounds. If you wish 10 portage this rapid, it should be done on river right. You
<br />will have to fllld a spot to rope the boats 10 the top of the gorge and climb out.
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<br />After this entrance rapid, get out on river right and climb to the top of the gorge. Walk down and scout the rest of the gorge all at once, as it is
<br />impossible to scout once you are in there. There are four drops in the main gorge, The first has a tight entrance into a slide, which drops about eight
<br />feet into a very sticky hole. Make sure you get a good boof. Next is a double drop with two sticky holes. Run this one on the right. There is. an eddy on
<br />the right where you can catch your breath before the meat. "Deep Throat" is the next rapid. The entrance is tight against the wall on river left. It drops
<br />about ten feet into a cave like crack on the left. Start left and drive right over the drop. Once you are through you will be in the pool above "Viagra," a
<br />beautiful 25 foot waterfall which will make you stand straight up if you go deep. The falls lands in a large pool. The hole at Ihe bottom is pretty sticky.
<br />Run this one right down the middle. Most people try to go deep or land at a 45-degree angle to the water. Either one works. I think it is also safe to bool
<br />for those of you with strong backs. Once you have made it through "Viagra," there is another mile of mank before the take-out. Exit on river right and
<br />hike the three miles uphill to your car
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<br />Thanks to Jared, Gary, Forrest, and the rest of the first descent crew for coming up with such "creative" names for the rapids.
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<br />Lime 2nd gorge 1st D crew on 6/7/2003: Chad Dyson, Jared Johnson, Gary Edgeworth, Forrest Noble. Flow was 282 on Mineral, 963cfs in Silverton
<br />(Animas), 1940cfs Durango (Animas).
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<br />The Gorge of Lime Creek (actually Cascade Creek) is the easiest of three gorges. Short downhill hike - 1 mile to the put-in IS well worth the
<br />remote wilderness class IV run.
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<br />This stretch is mostly pool drop and boat scoutable. Keep a heads up for the V+ Landslide rapid at the entrance of the gorge. Consider scouting or
<br />portaging this rapid river right.
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<br />This stretch runs into the Upper Animas river below the Broken Bridge rapid, giving you a good taste of - 6 miles of the Upper Animas.
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<br />After studying tapas of the region, Canyon Creek seemed to be a very unlikely candidate for a good run. Difficult access and high gradient made it
<br />seem unfeasible. After scouting from the headwaters on Missionary Ridge, almost all hope was lost due to log jams and ugly boulder gardens. But
<br />near the confluence with the Animas River, Canyon Creek drops inlo a beautiful granite canyon. Climbing into the gorge revealed some incredible,
<br />runnable slides and falls. There are many drops of various sizes. The final big drop, a clean 3D-foot waterfall, lands in a cauldron. Every drop is
<br />runnabJe except one due to wood. It comes below the second gorge
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<br />There are two main gorges. Scouting can be very difficult so get creative. You may need to cross the creek between the two to gel a better view
<br />Despite the overall gradient, the quality of the falls along with the well placed eddies make the run quite manageable
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<br />There are a few drawbacks. At any regular flow, the section between the gorges is bony. Also, difficulty access combined with a likelihood of
<br />trespassing makes for an exciting day. A trail to the put-in exists, but involves trespassing behind a landowner's house in Tacoma by hiking straight
<br />towards a mountain on a small road that winds up to the put-in. An owner of a mining claim owns the entire access river right, but fortunately the
<br />waterfalls are all in National Forest. The river left side of the creek is also public property. Because access issues are not currently clear for this run, it
<br />is recommended to consult with local boaters first, respect private property aroune! Tacoma, and be very stealth,
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<br />Thanks to eRC for contributing this run,
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<br />http://www.eddyflower.com/Re gionDetail. aspx ?Regionld= 1
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<br />2/13/2007
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